Electric feeler for drop box looms



Dec. 8, 1931. w. H. WAKEFIELD 1,835,353

ELECTRIC FEELER FOR DROP BOX LOOMS Filed April 22, 1931 3 Sheets-$heet l 8, 1931. w. H'. WAKEFIELD 1,335,353

ELECTRIC FEELER FOR DROP BOX LOOMS Filed April 22,1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 naw T 1931 w. H. WAKEFlELD 1,335,353

ELECTRIC FEELER FOR DROP BOX LOOMS Filed April 22, 19:51 5 sheets-sheet 5 V 7a7=5//u??2- Patented Dec. 8, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE \VALTER H. WAKEFIELD, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO CROMPTON & KNOWLES LOOM WORKS, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION'OF MASSACHUSETTS ELECTRIC FEELER FOR DROP BOX LOOMS Application filed April 22,

This invention relates to improvements in electrical weft detectors for drop box looms and it is the general object of the invention to render the detector mechanism operative 6 with respect to the shuttle which is next to become active.

In certain types of looms it is customary to employ two shuttles, the shuttles alternating every other pick so as to mix filling 10 for the purpose of producing a more uniform fabric. In this type of loom there exists a condition due to the relation of the binders which I employ to select which two detector circuits shall be operative at any given time. There will always be a shuttle in one of the drop boxes, and it is this shuttle which will become active assoon as the other shuttle enters the other drop box. It is an important object of my present invention to control two detecting circuits bythe positions of the shuttle binders. Under one condition the upper binder will be out because of presence of its shuttle while the other'binder will be in, and I provide a control circuit for each binder, the circuit which is active prior to the arrival of the active shuttle in the drop box determining which detecting circuit shall be ei'iergized. p

t is a further object of my present invention to provide two circuits for each shuttle, one a control and the other a detector circuit. An oscillating switch is acted upon by the control circuits, and when in one position renders operative one detector circuit,

I and when in the other position permits closing of the other detector. During the shifting of the boxes both shuttles and therefore both binders will operate to close the control circuits, but the control circuit of the shuttle next to become active having been closed first, takes precedence over any attempted control by the second control circuit to be closed.

This result I achieve by employing two in dependently excitable substantially equal eloctromagncts to attract a circuit closing armature, one of said electromagnetic devices acting before the other to move the armature. The armature will be near enough to one mag- 7 net to resist the pull of the other which is 1981. 7 Serial No. 532,022.

more distant until thefirst magnet is deenergized, whereupon said other will attract the armature.

lVith these and other objects in View which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention res idesin the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and set forth in the claims. v i In the accompanying drawings wherein a convenient embodiment of my invention is set forth, i y 7 Fig. l is an end elevation of a loom equipped with my invention, parts being in action, f V i .Fig. 2'is' atop plan view of certain of the structure shown in Fig. 1 on an enlarged scale, j V I Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the drop box as shown in F 2, taken along line 33, Fig. at is a detail front elevationof the tubular box lifter rod and electric connections, Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical section on line 5 -5 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 6 is an enlarged top plan of one binder and itscontact,

F igy'i' is a plan view of one of the detectors, Fig. 8 is a vertical section .On line 88 of Fig.7,

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic View of the circuits,

Fig. 10 is a vertical section through a sole.- noid controllingthe loom, and

Fig. 11 is a detail horizontal section through the feeler slide and grooved guide therefor. v

Referring to the drawings, I have shown a loom frame 10 and a lay 11 having at one end a pair of shifting shuttle boxes 12 mounted on a tubular box rod 13. The lay is provided with a race 14- and by means of mechanism not 7 shown herein but wellunderstood the shuttle boxes are shifted every alternate pick of the ment in a vertical direction a detector carrier 31. The lower end of the latter is pivotally connected to an actuator rod 32 which is operatively connected to the lower end of the box lifter rod 13. The detector carrier has upper and lower shelves 33 and 34, respec tively, on which are located electrical weft detectors 35 and 36, respectively. 3

Each detector as shown in Figs. 7 and 8 may comprise a base 40 of insulating material in which is slidably mounted two electric detector fingers 41 and 42, respectively. Compression springs 43, one for each finger, urges the latter to rear position and the finger 41 of each detector has sliding contact with a clip 44, while the other finger 42 is similarly connected with, a contact clip 45. p

In the operation of the structure thus far described the vertical shiftings of the gang of boxes 12 will. be accompanied by similar movementsof the detector carrier 31 and the separate detectors 35 and 36 will therefore be kept in register with the corresponding slots 19 and 20 of the binders and the upper-and lower shuttles S and S, respectively. During the forward movement of the lay the boxes will approach the detectors and if s'ufli cient weft is present the fingers 41 and 42 will be kept out of electrical contact with each other, but if either shuttle'has its weft supply exhausted the fingers of the corresponding detector will be electrically connected. The drop boxes and the control of the detector carrier of themselves form no part of my present invention.

In carrying my invention into effect I provide a circuitfor each detector and means for selecting which of the circuits shall be rendered operative to effect a change in the operation of the loom if the corresponding shuttle has an exhausted supply of weft. Each detector circuit can be closed at two different points, one at the detector, and the other at a selector switch.

Accordingly, I provide the upper binder 17 with an insulated contact plate 50 and in similar mannersupply the lower binder with another plate 51. These binders may be connected together by wirc 52, if desired. An upper contact 53 fixed with respect to and insulated from the drop boxes is positioned for engagement with the insulated contact 50 and in like manner a lower and second contact 54 also supported by and insulated from the boxes is positioned for engagement with the lower contact plate 51. The arrangement of the binder contacts is such that when the shuttle of either box is absentthe corresponding contacts will be out of electrical connection due to the presence of the usual binder spring designated herein at 55. Wire 52electrically connects contact posts 53 and 54.

A triple conductor '56 extends from the binder contacts down preferably along through the box lifter rod 13 and is formed of three wires 57, 58 and 59, respectively, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

On a fixed part of the loom structure I mount two control devices set fo. here n as electromagnets 60 and 61, respectively, the first being electrically connected to Contact 53 and the second to the contact 54. A swinging contact armature 62 moving about an iii-- sulat-ed fixed pivot 63 is positioned to be attracted by one or the other of the elcctro magnets. When the armature is held by magnet 60 in the position shown in Fig. 9 the other magnet 61, even though energized, will be unable to move the armature so long; as magnet fii'lremains energized. It is de sir-able in this connection to have the electromagnets both of substantially the same attractive force. 7

I have designated an electromagnetic device 70 as a solenoid connected to brin al'sout a change in the operation of the loom. The core 64 is connected to a flexible push wire 65 of a bowdenite connection. The other end of wire 65, as shown in Fig. 5, is supp rted by a normally staticnary link 66 connected to a rock shaft 67. .An actuator head 68 having a regular motion every otherpicl: clears the wire 65 under ordinary conditions, so that shaft 60 remains at rest, but when plunger or core 64 is sucked into the solenoid, wire is moved into the path of the head to cause the latter to rock shaft (37. This last result will cause a change in the operation of the loom, as is well understood in the art. It is to be understood from the description of circuitslwhich follows that whenever this device 70 is energized the result will be either a change of the bobbin or shuttle or loon: stoppage, as may be desired.

The operation of my invention will be ."ct forth in connection, with the diagrannnatie showing OfFijY. 9. Assuming that the shut-- tle boxes are in raised position so that the lower box is opposite the race 14 and the. lower shuttle is in flight or in some position out of the box 16, upper binder 17 will be pushed out so that contacts 50 and 53 are in electric: lv engagement with each other. 'lhe effect of this contact is to close the followins circuit: source of power P, wire 57, wire 52. contact post 53, binder plate 50, wire 5.). cloctroma e net 60, wire 72 back-to the opposite side of the power line. Current flowing in this circuit will energize electromagnet hi) the effect of which will be to attract one enl of the circuit closing armature 62 so that the latter will assume the position shown in Fig. S). Due to the fact that the other shuttle is out of the lower box contacts 51 and 54 will.

l 0 Will engage the armature, whereupon current will flow through the following circuit if the top shuttle is exhausted: source of power P, wire 74, armature 62, contact 7 3, wire 75, contact clip ofthe upper feeler 35, and detector finger 42, internal circuit (not shown) of shuttle, finger 41, clip 44, wire 76, electromagnetic device" 7 O,and wire 77 back to the opposite side of the power P. Current flow ing in this circuit will energize the device 70 whi'ch as previously described, will set devices which will bring about a change in the operation of the loom. A sufficient supply of weft in the top shuttle will prevent closure of the circuit just traced.

As the loom continues to run the shuttle which was previously on the other side of the loom will arrive in the lower box 16 and when this happens contacts51 and 54 will be closed causing current toffiow'through the following circuit: source of power P, Wire 57, 0011 tact 54, contact plate 51, wire 58, electromagnet 61, wire 78, back to the opposite side of the source. Current flowing in this circuit will energize magnet 61,-but it will be seen by' referring to Figs. 1 and9 that the end of the armature 16 adjacent magnet 61 is farther from the latter than theopposite end is from magnet 60. It follows as a result of the'well-known law of electro magnetic attraction thatthc force is inversely proportional. to the square of the distance between the two attracting bodies that magnet will exert less. pull on the armature than that exerted by magnet 60. The armature 62 will therefore remain in the position to which magnet 60 moved it.

Because'of the previously described cycle of operations of the leom the boxes will shift as soon as the lower shuttleis boxed, the box rod 31 being moved downwardly in the assumed case by Well-known means so that the top shuttle and top box .will be opposite, the race 14." 'The top shuttle Willi-hereafter be picked to the opposite. side of they loom i and the change in 100111 operation will occur.

As soon as the top shuttle s is picked from its box the top binder l'iwill break theeleo tfrical connection: between contacts and 53 so that magnet becomes deenergized.

Magnet 61, however, is still energized due to the continuance of its circuit'resulting from presence of shuttle S in the lower box: Magnet 61 will, therefore, attract the armature 62 and the latter will move to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 9, to close the following circuit the bottom shuttle is empty:

source of power P, Wires 74, armature 62,

fixed contact point 79, Wire 80, clip 45 of the lower detector 36, feeler finger 42 of the lower feeler, internal shuttle circuit, finger 41 of feeler 36 and its corresponding clip 44, wire 76, electromagnetic device70, and wire 77. Current flowing in this circuit will cause another energization of the device 70 with consequent results as previously described I The actuator head 68 will have its working stroke before the lay carries the shuttles and boxes back away from the feelers, that is, the head will operate to catch wire while the solenoid 70 is still energized, As soon as the lay moves back a short distance from its front position, and before picking, circuit on device 70 will be brokemso that the shifting'of armature 62 already described will not result in an immediate energization of the solenoid 70.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided means whereby a filling mixing loom having two drop boxes on one end may give indication for a change in the operation ofa loom by means of electric ci1- cuits which are controlled in part by the weft carrying shuttles and in part by the binders. It will also be seen that if one magnet is energized while the other is excited, the second one to be excited will not be able to alter the circuits, and the latter will remain uncharged until the first shuttle to indicate is picked, after which the armature will change. This change occurs, however, when the shuttles are out of contact with the feelers, so that wire 65 is not subjected to interferring faces.

Having thus described my invention it will be seen that changes and modifications may be made therein by those skilled, in the art without departing from the spiritand scope of the invention and I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, but what I claim is: V V

1 1. In a loom having a pair of drop boxes and shuttles therefor, each shuttle being active for two successive picks alternately with the other shuttle, a binder for each shuttle, an electrical weft detector for each box, electric means to effect a change in the operation of the loom, and electro1nagneti cally operative means dependent upon the positions of the binders to control the means from the shuttle next to be active.

2. Ina box loom having a lay, a plurality of shuttle boxes at one end of the lay, electric loom change controlling mechanism, a plurality of feelers, one for each shuttle box, means to shift the boxes and feelers in unison, a binder for each shuttle box, and electric means dependent upon the position of the binder and condition of weft in an idle shuttle in the shuttle boxes to actuate said loom change controlling mechanism when the idle shuttle moves into action.

3. In a box loom having two shifting shuttle boxes each of which is active for two picks at a time, a shuttle for each box, an electric Weft detector for each box, the boxes and the detectors shifting together, a binder for each shuttle box, a detector circuit for each detector, electromagnetic means common to the detector circuits to eflfect a change in the operation of the loom, a controller circuit for each box, each controller circuit to be closed by the binder of the corresponding shuttle, and a selective closer for the detector circuits, one controller circuit when closed by its binder moving the closer to complete one ofthe detector circuits at weft exhaustion of the corresponding shuttle, and the other controller circuit being closed by its binder when the other shuttle is present to move the closer in another direction to close the other detector circuit at weft exhaustion of said other shuttle.

4. In a box loom having two shuttle boxes each of which is in active position for two picks and idle for the next two picks, a shuttle for each box, an electric weft detector for each box, the boxes and the detectors moving simultaneously with each other, a binder for each shuttle box, an electromagnetic means to eil'ect a change in the operation of the loom, and electric means dependent upon the condition of the weft in the idle shuttle and also dependent upon the position of the binder each box, the boxes and thedetectors moving simultaneously with each other, a binder for each shuttle box, an electromagnetic means to effect a change in the operation of the loom, and electric controlling circuits for said means dependent upon the position of each binder and the detector corresponding thereto to render said means elli'ective to cause a change in the operation of the loom when an.

idle shuttle again becomes active.

6. In'a loom having two shifting shuttle boxes'eachwith a shuttle, each box and the corresponding shuttle being in active position for two successive and then idle for two successive picks, a pair of electrical detectors movable in unison with the boxes, an electric detector circuit for each detector to be closed when the corresponding shuttle is exhausted, an electromagnetic means common to the detector circuits and effective to cause a change in the operation of thc'loom, a member for each box to be held in a given position when the corresponding shuttle is in the box, a controller circuit for each member to be closed by the latter when the corresponding shuttle is in its box, andineans operative by the shuttle and member in idle position to close the corresponding detector circuit and cause a change in the operation of the loom by the electromagnetic means when the idle shuttle is next active. I

7. In a drop box loom operating with a pair of shuttles and a lay, an electric fccler for each shuttle, a binder on the lay for each shuttle, an electromagnetic device to effect a change in the operation of the loom, a control electric circuit for each binder, a detector circuit for each feeler, the device being common to the detector circuits, and means under control of the control circuits and dependent upon closure of a detector circuit due to weft exhaustion to indicate for a change in the operation of the loom when a shuttle is about to become active.

8. In a loom having a lay and a pair of shuttles which are active for two picks at a time, a weft detector for each shuttle, a binder for each shuttle, a device to ellect a change in the operation of the loom, and connections between the binders and detectorsand d vice dependent upon engagement of a binder by its shuttle and indication of weft exhaustion by the corresponding detector to cause the device to effect a change in the operation of the loom. v i

9. In a drop box loom having two shuttle boxes each of which is movable to active position for two picks and is then movable to idle position for two picks, a shuttle for each box, a binder for each box, an electrical weft detector for each box, a pair of control cir cuits', one for each binder, each control circuit to be closed when the corresponding binder is positioned by presence of its shuttle in the corresponding box, a pair of detector circuits, one for each detector, an electromagnetic loom changing device common to thedectector circuits, and a selecting device under control of the control circuits and dependent for its position upon the position of the binders, said selector device in one position closing one of the detector circuits when the shuttle corresponding thereto is exhausted, and the selector when in the other position closing: the other circuit when the other shuttle is exhausted.

10. In a box loom having two shifting boxes each-of which is in active position for two successive picks and is then in idle position for two successive picks, a pair of control circuits, one for each box, each control circuit to be closed by presence of a shuttle in the corresponding box, each of said control circuits having an electromagnetic device therein, said devices being of substantially the same strength, a selector under control of both devices, an electrical detector for each box, a pair ofdetector circuits each effective when closed to bring about a change in the operation of the loom and each containing one ofv the electrical detectors, said selector movable to effect closure of but one detector circuit at a time, the posit-ion of the selector being dependent upon which shuttle is next to become active.

11. In a box loom operating with two shuttles each of which is in active position for two successive picks and then in idle positlon for two successive plcks, an electromagnetic device to effect a change in the operation of the loom, a weft detector for each shuttle, and electromagnetic means dependent upon indication of weft exhaustion by the detector of the shuttle which is moving toward active position and dependent also upon presence of said shuttle in idle position to actuate said electromagnetic device.

12. In a box loom having a pair of shifting boxes and shuttles therefor, each box and its corresponding shuttle being in active position for two picks and then in idle position for two picks, a binder for each box movable by the shuttle corresponding thereto, an electromagnetic device to effect a change in the operation of the loom, and electric means to energize the device when the weft in either shuttle is exhausted, said electric means dependent upon engagement by the shuttle moving toward active position with the binder corresponding thereto and dependent also upon exhaustion of weft in said shuttle moving toward active position.

13. In a box loom having a pair ofshifting boxes and shuttles therefore, each box and its corresponding shuttle being'in active position for two picks and then in idle position for two picks, an electromagnetic device to effect a change in the operation of the loom, a binder for each shuttle, an electric detector for each shuttle, and electric means dependent upon closing of a circuit by the binder corresponding to the shuttle moving from the idle to active position and also dependent upon operation of the detector of the shuttle moving from idle to active position to energize the electromagnetic device.

14. In a box loom having a pair of shifting boxes and shuttles therefore, each box and its corresponding shuttle being in active position for two picks and then in idle position for two picks, a lay movable back and foith in the loom and supporting the boxes and shuttles, an electromagnetic device to effect a change in the operation of the loom, and electric means to control the device dependent upon the closure of two contacts, one of said contacts being closed by the shuttle next to be active during the forward movement of the lay, and the other contact being closed if weft in the shuttle next to become active is substantially exhausted when the lay reaches its forward position, the device being energized as soon as said other contact is closed.

15. In a box loom having a pair of shift- 7 ing boxes and shuttles therefor, each box and its con'esponding shuttle being in active position for two picks and then in idle position for two picks, a lay movable back and forth and supporting the boxes and shuttles, an electric weft detector for each shuttle, a binder on the lay for each shuttle, an electromagnetic deviceto effect a change in the operation of the loom, and electric means to energize the device dependent upon the closure of two contacts, one contact tobe closed by the binder of a shuttle which is moving from idle to active position prior to arrival of the lay at its front position, and the other contact to be closed by the weft detector of the shuttle moving from idle to active position when the lay is in substantially its front position, the electromagnetic device being onergized when the lay reaches its front position.

16. In a box loom. having a pair of shifting boxes and shuttles therefor, each box and its corresponding shuttle being in active position for twopicks and then in idle position for two picks, a lay movable back and forth and supporting the boxes and shuttle, an electric weft detector for each shuttle, a binder on the lay for each shuttle, an electromagnetic device to effect a change in the operation of the loom, and electric means to energize the device dependent upon the closure of two contacts, one contact to be closed bv the binder of'a shuttlewhich is moving from idle to active position prior to arrival of the lay at its front position, and the other contact to be closed by the weft detector of the shuttle moving from idle to active position when the lay is in substantially its front position, the electromagnetic device to be energized as soon as the second contact controlled by the detector is closed.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

WALTER H. IVAKEFIELD. 

